Humax FVP-4000T 1TB Freeview Play HD TV Recorder - Cappuccino

This is a great product. Yes, it is different from the older Humax boxes, but not in a bad way. the functions available are fantastic, the remote easy to use and understand with just a few minutes of use, and the great functions available on the older boxes are still there, but with added functions alongside them. The auto set up is a dream to use, and you can start watching live TV in a mater of minutes from plugging in.The remote use is different (very different) from previous models, but don't let that put you off; a little read of the instructions - or like me, a play with the buttons over a glass of wine, soon makes this model a joy to use.The guide is a little slower than my old model, but this is because there is so much more info' given and functions available on each screen, but it is more than usable with only a fraction of a second delay in button presses.(as an aside: some folk seem to have struggled with the lack of "time skip" forward or back i.e. jump forward through adverts by 1 minute at a time etc. but this can be done by pressing 'Play' button and then left/right buttons to navigate forward or back by set amount - which can be changed in the settings. You can also do this function by pressing the 'Pause' 'Fast Forward' or 'Fast Rewind' buttons and then pressing 'UP' which highlights the ' time elapsed' above the time line and then press 'Left' or 'Right' (first way is easier though!).The ability to record 4 and watch another is great if you are sensible and set the recording padding in the settings to record a couple of minutes before and after your recorded request (this stop the ultimate cliff hanger episode cutting short at the final minute and you missing who done it!) because recording conflicts do not occur anywhere nearly as much - haven't had one yet!The 'On Demand' service is much quicker than my last Humax box and also has the main catch up apps ready installed after your first auto set-up.The ability to go back in time on the guide is a great feature, and allows you to easily find a program from the last 7 days you have missed and forgot to record; not all channels and programs are available, but you also have 'On Demand' to use and 'Record' to use, so not excuse really to miss something ;-)Box itself is compact and light-weight with a stylish finish - shame to hide it in the TV unit - and runs supper quiet.Search function to find programs to record is easy to use, and like the older models, you don't have to enter the whole name, even a few characters will find it.The ability to send photos/videos/music to your TV straight from you PC is a great new feature, and also being able to save your films to a 'pen stick' gives you that extra recording space if needed.On the whole, Humax have always in my view been the leaders in this market, outshining the competitors easily. This new box in my view is just the next obvious step to take in the technology evolution.

Overwhelmingly negative from the start and it finally failed a few days ago. [1] As many others have commented, the unit responded very slowly indeed to input from the remote; so slowly that the user repeated the action only to confuse the machine and encourage lockups. [2] Another major annoyance was the all too frequent failure of the programme guide to populate with data, so no information as to forthcoming programmes was available. Even worse, the section for the channels of interest might be filled but, scroll ahead an hour or two and then back, and it was all too common for the fields that were filled to be empty. [3] Much functionality that was present in the 2000T was missing. For example, recorded programmes could not be moved to a named folder on an external drive, merely copied there. Programmes could not be renamed, either. A sad omission, making it difficult to identify a particular recording of interest in a folder containing several items from a series. [5] Firmware updates did nothing to address these issues. [6] Over the fourteen months that it lasted it was always tediously slow to start and developed a progressively worsening tendency to 'hang' or 'drop out', necessitating the restart of the machine by removing the power plug at the rear. How Humax can produce such a dreadful machine beggars the imagination. I have just ordered another [refurbished] 2000T, my previous machine that wore out, as the best option available having rejected another 4000T [about 48% negative one or two star reviews at the time of purchase] and the 5000T seemed to have inherited the clunky and infuriating features of the 4000T. Difficult to fathom how so many Verified viewers can achieve satisfaction with the product. Perhaps it's luck of the draw? Perhaps lots of users do not use the machine regularly to test the full extent of its capabilities? I wasn't prepared to take the risk and hope for a 'good one'. Just too many negatives with reference to the same consistent faults. The Panasonics fared no better and the reviews for the Manhattan did not, for me, inspire confidence, either. It seems to have become a difficult market in which to get satisfaction. I most certainly would not recommend buying a 4000T based on my time with it. Beyond dreadful: utterly, utterly awful.